New Guinea Impatiens plant named `Kijuan`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named `Kijuan`, characterized by its small and numerous blush pink-colored flowers; compact, upright and outwardly spreading growth habit; freely branching plant habit; and narrow dark green slightly glossy non-variegated leaves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri,previously known under the code name, MF 338 Blush, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name `Kijuan`.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram was to develop compact varieties with numerous small flowers,early-flowering, uniform plant habit, attractive flower and foliagecolors and good flower form.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the Inventor of theproprietary selection identified as MF 571 as the male, or pollenparent, with the proprietary selection identified as MF 22 as thefemale, or seed parent. The cultivar `Kijuan` was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany, inApril, 1996. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminalcuttings taken at Gensingen, Germany, has shown that the unique featuresof this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of `Kijuan`. These characteristics incombination distinguish `Kijuan` as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Small and numerous blush pink-colored flowers.

2. Compact, upright and outwardly spreading growth habit.

3. Freely branching plant habit.

4. Narrow dark green, slightly glossy non-variegated leaves.

Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens have darker green foliage andlighter flower color than plants of the male parent, MF 571. Compared toplants of the female parent, MF 22, plants of the new New GuineaImpatiens are larger and have darker pink and more rounded flowers.

Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are similar in flower color tothe New Guinea Impatiens cultivar `Apple Blossom` (disclosed in U.S.Plant Pat. No. 10,111). However in side-by-side comparisons inEncinitas, Calif., under commercial practice, plants of the new NewGuinea Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar `Apple Blossom` inthe following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are more compact than plantsof the cultivar `Apple Blossom`.

2. Leaves of plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are darker green andmore narrow than leaves of plants of the cultivar `Apple Blossom`.

3. Leaf petioles of plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are shorterthan leaf petioles of plants of the cultivar `Apple Blossom`.

4. Flowers of plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are held above thefoliage whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar `Apple Blossom` areheld at canopy level or slightly below.

5. Flowers of plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are smaller andhave a less distinct "eye" at the center of the flower than flowers ofplants of the cultivar `Apple Blossom`.

6. Flower peduncles of plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are longerthan flower peduncles of plants of the cultivar `Apple Blossom`.

A detailed comparison of plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens and thecultivar `Apple Blossom` appears in Chart A at the end of thespecification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical plant of `Kijuan`.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view of atypical flower and leaves of `Kijuan`. Flower and foliage colors in thephotographs may differ from the actual colors due to light reflectance.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar `Kijuan` has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype. The following observations,measurements and comparisons describe plants grown in 10-cm pots inEncinitas, Calif., under commercial practice in a fiberglass-coveredgreenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 23 to 29° C. and nighttemperatures ranging from 16 to 18° C. and light levels of about 3,000footcandles.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Classification:

Botanical.--Impatiens hawkeri cultivar `Kijuan`.

Commercial.--New Guinea Impatiens cultivar `Kijuan`.

Parentage:

Male parent.--Proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified asMF 571.

Female parent.--Proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified asMF 22.

Propagation:

Type cutting.--Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.--Summer: About 14 days with 21° C. soiltemperature. Winter: About 18 days with 21° C. soil temperature.

Time to develop roots.--Summer: About 21 days with 21° C. soiltemperature. Winter: About 24 days with 21° C. soil temperature.

Plant description:

Plant form.--Upright and outwardly spreading, rounded and mounding.

Growth habit.--Moderately vigorous. Moderate branching, dense and bushygrowth. Appropriate for 10 and 12.5-cm containers.

Crop time.--From planting of a rooted cutting, about six to eight weeksare required to produce a finished flowering plant in a 12.5-cmcontainer.

Plant size.--Height: About 11 cm. Width or spread: About 20 cm.

Lateral branches.--Quantity: About five. Length: About 10 cm. Diameter:About 1.1 cm. Internode length: About 3 cm. Color: 59B.

Foliage description.--Leaves simple, generally symmetrical, abundant,opposite or in whorls of three, horizontal to plant and flat in aspect.Length: About 10 cm. Width: About 3.1 cm. Shape: Elliptic with acuminateapex, attenuate base and serulate margin with ciliation. Texture:Smooth, slightly glossy. Color: Young foliage, upper surface: 146A.Young foliage, lower surface: 147B. Fully expanded foliage, uppersurface: 147A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147C. Venation,upper surface: Close to 147C with reddish tinge, 59D. Venation, lowersurface: 60B. Petiole: Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.Color: 60C.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.--Small blush pink-colored flowers. Freely andcontinuously flowering. Flowers arise from leaf axils. Usually aboutseven flowers per lateral branch and typically about 26 flowers andflower buds per plant. Flowers positioned above the foliage and faceoutward. Flowers flat and slightly oblong. Flowers persistent.

Flowering season.--Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In thegarden, flowering is continuous from spring until fall. Flowerstypically last less than one week depending on environmental andcultural conditions.

Flower size.--Length: About 4.5 cm. Width: About 4 cm. Depth: About 4mm.

Flower buds.--Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm. Shape:Ovoid. Color: 65A with dark purple, 59B, dorsal ridge.

Petals.--Quantity: Five. Length: Upper petal: About 2.5 cm. Middlepetals: About 2.2 cm. Lower petals: About 2.7 cm. Width: Upper petal:About 3.5 cm. Middle petals: About 2.4 cm. Lower petals: About 2.7 cm.Shape: Cordate with emarginate apex, acute base and entire margin.Texture: Velvety, smooth. Color: When opening, upper surface: 65B. Whenopening, lower surface: 62A. Fully opened, upper surface: Margins andupper petal midvein: 65A. Center: 65C. Base or eye: 66B. Fully opened,lower surface: 65B/65C. Fading to: 65C.

Spur.--Length: About 3.9 cm. Shape: Narrow and curved. Color: 59A.

Peduncles.--Length: About 5 cm. Angle: Erect and outward. Strength:Moderately strong. Color: 59B.

Reproductive organs.--Androecium: Stamen number: Five, anthers fused,filaments free. Anther shape: Obovate. Anther size: 4 mm by 5 mm. Anthercolor: 63A. Amount of pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: Creamy white.Gynoecium: Five-loculate fused. Gynoecium length: About 4 mm. Gynoeciumcolor: 146D.

Disease resistance:

Under commercial conditions, resistance to pathogens has not beenobserved.

Seed development:

Seed production has not been observed.

                  CHART A                                                         ______________________________________                                        CHARACTERISTIC `KIJUAN`    `APPLE BLOSSOM`                                    ______________________________________                                        PLANT HEIGHT   About 11 cm About 12.5 cm                                      LEAF WIDTH     About 3.1 cm                                                                              About 3.7 cm                                       LEAF COLOR, FULLY                                                                            147A        146A                                               EXPANDED, UPPER                                                               SURFACE                                                                       VENATION COLOR,                                                                              59D         63B                                                UPPER SURFACE                                                                 VENATION COLOR,                                                                              60B         63A                                                LOWER SURFACE                                                                 PETIOLE LENGTH About 2.5 cm                                                                              About 3.25 cm                                      FLOWERING HABIT                                                                              Above foliage                                                                             At canopy or below                                 FLOWER SHAPE   Oblong      Rounded triangular                                 FLOWER SIZE    About 4.5 cm by                                                                           About 4.9 cm by                                    (length by width)                                                                            4 cm        4.9 cm                                             SPUR LENGTH    About 3.9 cm                                                                              About 4.3 cm                                       PETAL APPEARANCE                                                                             Velvety     Iridescent                                         PETAL COLOR, WHEN                                                                            65B         62A                                                OPENING, UPPER                                                                SURFACE                                                                       PETAL COLOR, WHEN                                                                            62A         58D                                                OPENING LOWER                                                                 SURFACE                                                                       PETAL COLOR,   Margins, 65A                                                                              Center, 62A/62B/62C                                OPENED, UPPER  Center, 65C Eye, 66B                                           SURFACE        Eye, 66B                                                       PETAL COLOR,   65B/65C     62A                                                OPENED, LOWER                                                                 SURFACE                                                                       PETAL COLOR, FADING                                                                          65C         62B/62C                                            TO                                                                            PEDUNCLE LENGTH                                                                              About 5 cm  About 4.3 cm                                       ______________________________________                                    

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiensplant named `Kijuan`, as illustrated and described.